Today we’d like to introduce you to Leesa Marie Benz.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
It all began while I was working at a business called Fiscal Information. The mailman who delivered our mail always called me “Marilyn Monroe” & he insisted I enter the contest launching the Marilyn Monroe stamp. I was hesitant since I didn’t know much about Marilyn. Anyhoo, I had a few months 2 study her & it paid off since I won. From that, I had lots of agents chasing me. One happened to be a pageant scout that insisted I join her pageant, which I did & won “Mrs. Daytona Beach”, which led to “Mrs. Volusia County” the following year. I ended up creating my radio show called “Alive & Kickin’!” Soon after that, YouTube came out, so I segway my radio show into a YouTube show named “Alive & Kickin’ On Location.” I interviewed many celebrities & movers & shakers here in FL, from Eddie Money to the King of Hawaiian Tropic, Ron Rice. I am also on the entertainment website Gig Salad, which gets me lots of Marilyn gigs. Just last year, I was invited to audition for Orlando Housewives & I won the role of a friend of the Housewives since I’m not married anymore. I’m thrilled to be a part of it & it’s scheduled to air on Dec 11 on the Now Network. From that, I was invited to audition for a series called RAIN which will air in Jan on The Gloss Network. I got that, too, which is fun & scripted, so it requires a lot of memorizing. I’m amazed at how the mailman who discovered me forever changed my life. I’ve thanked him repeatedly & I have a soft spot in my heart for him discovering me!
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There haven’t been many challenges, but there was a time I was booked to be at an event as Marilyn Monroe & would you believe there was another Marilyn there?? Same dress, same everything. Since I keep my hair fairly long, I told the other Marilyn that I would take on the role of Jane Mansfield. That solved that problem, but she never even thanked me & I never saw her again, LOL!
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m very proud that I have been able to keep the memory of Marilyn Monroe alive. Everywhere I go, random people will come up & tell me how beautiful or more beautiful than Marilyn I am & that they have pix of me throughout the years. The fact that I’m very approachable sets me apart from others & the fact that I also volunteer to raise money for local charities when I can.
What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I will keep honoring Marilyn as long as I can. The years go by so quickly & I’m wondering how much longer I will b in demand. I will continue being a professional Marilyn Monroe Tribute Artist as long as people keep booking me & I enjoy it. The acting has no actual expiration date yet. I mean, I can always play someone’s Mother, too, then a Grandma, etc., LOL!
Pricing:
- $250 per Marilyn gig on average depending on the location.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gigsalad.com
- Instagram: Leesam99
- Facebook: Leesa Marie Benz
- Twitter: Leesam99
- Youtube: Leesa Marie Benz or Alive & Kickin’ On Location
